Halo Reach: Legacy
by ethan.brown.167
Summary: After the events on Reach, one Spartan meets with a new batch of Spartans and they must escape reach before it's too late. This story was written before Halo 4 came out.
1. Old Friends, Old Enemies

HE lives

PART ONE: NOVA TEAM

THE SPARTAN PICKED UP HIS HELMET, BATTERED AND CRACKED FROM HIS BATTLE. ''RUINED," HE SAID TO HIMSELF AND PUT THE HELMET BACK DOWN. HE IS WOUNDED BUT NOT SEVERLY. WITH NO WHERE TO GO, HE TRAVELS. AFTER THREE HOURS, HE COMES UPON A FAMILIAR SIGHT, IN THE DISTANCE A UNSC PELICAN LAYS IN RUINS NEXT TO A SCARAB. HE CHECKS THE PELICAN, JUST AS HE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE SAME PELICAN HIS FORMER COMMANDER CARTER, HAD DIED IN. HE WANTS TO BURRY HIM,BUT HE REMEMBERS WHAT THEY TOLD HIM IN TRAINING, WHEN A SPARTAN DIES YOU DON'T BURY THEM, YOU LEAVE THEM WHERE THEY DIED. IT TELLS THE STORY OF THEIR DEATH, THEY SAID. THEN, HE JUMPED BACK JUST IN TIME TO DODGE A NEEDLE RIFLE BLAST. THREE ELITES APPEARED, BUT HIGH CLASS ELITES. THE SPARTAN KNEW THEM WELL, ONE A FIELD MARSHALL AND THE OTHERS ZEALOTS. HE PULLED OUT HIS SIDE ARM _CLICK, EMPTY, _"GREAT" HE SAID. JUST AS THE ELITES LUNGED AT HIM GUNSHOTS WENT OFF. THE FIRST FELL, DEAD. MORE GUNFIRE THE SECOND FELL DEAD. THE ONLY ONE LEFT WAS THE LEADER, HE DREW HIS ENERGY SWORD, THE SPARTAN WAS READY FOR CLOSE COMBAT. THEY RAN AT EACH OTHER WHEN A RIFLE WENT OFF. THE BULLET MISSED THE ELITE'S HEAD; HE TURNED, BUT TOO LATE, ANOTHER BLAST WHENT RIGHT THROUGH HIS HEAD.

"MISSED ME?" A VOICE ASKED. "GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, JUN" THE SPARTAN ANSWERED. IN FRONT OF HIM WAS A FALCON, AND INSIDE WAS JUN A FRIEND OF HIS FROM NOBLE TEAM. HE AND JUN WERE THE ONLY ONES LEFT ON THEIR SQUAD. "HELLO AGAIN SPARTAN" "DOCTOR HALSEY, YOUR WOUNDED" THE SPARTAN REPLIED. "SIX, WE NEED TO LEAVE GET ABOARD, WE NEED TO GET HER MEDICAL ATTENTION A.S.A.P" SAID JUN. "WHAT HAPPENED?" SIX QUESTIONED. "WE WERE AMBUSHED AROUND THE SAME TIME YOU GUYS WERE. THE PELICAN TOOK A LOT OF DAMAGE, SO WE GOT ON A FALCON AND TOOK OFF. A FEW BANSHEES FOLLOWED US; THE DOCTOR TOOK SOME BANSHEE FIRE." THE REST OF THE RIDE WAS SILENT FOR A WHILE. THE NEXT MORNING SIX WOKE UP; IN THE DISTANCE A MILITARY BASE WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD. SIX DECIDED TO EAT SOME RATIONS HE KEPT WITH HIM. JUN GROANED, "YOURE UP EARLY SIX, DOCTOR WERE ALMOST THERE". JUN SHOOK HER LIGHTLY. "DOCTOR, DOCTOR. NO… NO… NO! SHE CAN'T BE… SHE CAN'T BE." JUN SAID. "JUN" SIX SAID. "THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD'VE-" "SAVE IT SIX" JUN SAID. THEY RODE TO THE BASE IN SILENCE. SIX WONDERED WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO, HE KNEW THE COVANENT WERE GOING TO GLASS REACH, THEY HAD TO GET OUT HERE FAST. HOWEVER A BIGGER PROBLEM WOULD ARISE THAT WOULD LAST FOR YEARS TO COME, THIS WAS ONLY IT'S BEGINNING.


	2. New Friends, New Enemies

WHEN THEY REACHED THE BASE MARINES WERE THERE TO MEET THEM. THEY TOOK HALSEY'S BODY AWAY. ODSTS HEADED JUN AND SIX'S WAY. "HELLO SPARTANS, I'M CAPTAIN TOM KURIK, I RUN THIS BASE." "THIS", HE POINTED TO THE OTHER ODSTS, "IS LIEUTENANT SANDERS, LIEUTENANT WILSONS, GUNNERY SERGEANT THOMPSON AND LANCE CORPORAL ANDERS." "NICE TO MEET YOU SOLDIER, IM JUN AND THIS IS SIX." JUN REPLIED. THE MARINES SHOWED THEM AROUND THE BASE. THE BASE WAS WELL GUARDED SNIPERS EVERY CORNER, MANNED TANKS READY TO FIRE AND 3-5 TURRENTS ON EACH SIDE OF THE BASE. AND THOUSANDS OF WEAPONS, VEHICLES, AND SOLDIERS AS WELL. THIS IS USELESS UNLESS THERE A FEW EXTRA SPARTANS AND SOME HEAVY WEAPONARY, ALONG WITH LONGSWORDS SIX THOUGHT. WE'LL NEED ALL THAT TO STOP THE GLASSING, AND EVEN THAT MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH, HE THOUGHT. "WHO'RE THE NEW GUYS KURIK?" SOME ONE ASKED. SIX LOOKED UP. ON THE SECOND FLOOR WAS A SPARTAN WITH NEWER ARMOR THAN HIS. EVA HELMET PITCH BLACK, SECURITY SHOULDER WITH A KUKRI, SAPPER CHEST, RECON SHOULDER, AND GRENADIER KNEE ARMOR WAS WHITE AND YELLOW. SO CLEAN AND NEW ARMOR, SIX THOUGHT, THEY ARE A NEWER CLASS SPARTAN, THEY HAVE TO BE. "SOME SPARTANS, LIEUTENANT" KURIK REPLIED. "SUP, I'M LIEUTENANT COLONEL BRIAN, C'MON LEMME SHOW YOU THE REST OF THE SQUAD." BRIAN SAID. THEY FOLLOWED HIM THROUGH MULTIPLE HALLWAYS; IT WAS A LOT BIGGER THAN IT LOOKED FROM THE OUTSIDE. FINALLY THEY REACHED AN ASSEMBLY ROOM. "YO COMMANDER, WE GOT SOME NEWBIES" SAID BRIAN. "HELLO, I'M COMMANDER GRIFFON, THIS IS MAJOR CHRIS, CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER ETHAN OUR SNIPER, WARRANT OFFICER, DAX OUR SCOUT AND CAPTAIN KRYSTAL." GRIFFON SAID.

"C'MON YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED AND HUNGRY" GRIFFON SAID. HE SHOWED THEM TO SOME SPARE ROOMS AND GAVE THEM THEIR DINNER. SIX WAS SLEEPING WHEN AN ALARM WENT OFF. OVER THE SPEAKERS GRIFFON WAS SAYING "SOLDIERS WE GOT A CODE DEAD REPEAT CODE DEAD EVERY ONE GET TO YOUR STATIONS ASAP!" SIX IMMEDIATELY GOT UP AND GRABBED HIS DMR. HE RAN INTO THE HALL TO SEE JUN ALREADY LOADING HIS RIFLE. "SIX LET'S GO" JUN SAID. THEY CAUGHT UP WITH THE OTHER SPARTANS. "GRIFFON WHATS GOING ON?" SIX ASKED. "WE DON'T KNOW HOW BUT, ONE DAY A GROUP OF ODSTs CAME BACK EXTREMELY SICK. ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER THEY ATTACKED US. ONCE WE KILLED THEM WE FOUND OUT THAT THEIR BRAINS AND HEARTS HAD ALREADY STOPPED FUNCTIONING TWO DAYS AGO." GRIFFON REPLIED. "SO, LIVING DEAD IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?" ASKED SIX."AS CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS YES." GRIFFON REPLIED. SIX GOT LOW ENOUGH TO SEE THEM CLEARLY HE WOULD TAKE THE ONES CLOSE TO THE BASE. JUN WOULD TAKE THE ONES FURTHER BACK. THERE A LOT OF THEM BUT THEY WERE EASY TO KILL, THE FIGHT WAS OVER IN TEN MINUTES. "GOOD WORK EVERY BODY" GRIFFON SAID. "COMMANDER, WE MAY BE SAFE IN HERE BUT I SUGGEST WE MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION. I HAVE A FEELING WE WILL SOON BE OVER RUN." SAID KRYSTAL. "CAPTAIN, THIS IS THE ONLY NON- COVEY POPULATED BASE LEFT ON REACH THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO GO." GRIFFON REPLIED. KRYSTAL LEFT THOUGH SHE SEEMED UPSET AND TROUBLED. "THEN WE SHOULD LEAVE REACH COMMANDER," KRYSTAL COMMENTED, "BEFORE ITS TOO LATE."


	3. Invasion

SIX WAS DREAMING, DREAMING OF THE OTHER DAY. HE WAS ALL ALONE; EMILE'S BODY LAY DEAD BEHIND HIM. THE AUTUM IN THE DISTANCE. ALONE SURROUNDED BY COVENANT, WELL I'LL TAKE A FEW WITH ME, SIX THOUGHT. THE DREAM FADED. WHEN THE DREAM CAME BACK, HE WAS SURROUNDED BY ELITES HIS HELMET CRACKED. HE WOULDN'T LAST ANY LONGER HE KNEW THAT. AN ELITE PUSHED HIM TO THE GROUND THEY CORNERED AROUND HIM ALL PULLING OUT THERE SWORDS. THEY SLASHED AND SLASHED BUT HE DODGED AND POUNDED AT THEIR KNEES. ONE LUNGED AT HIS CHEST BUT HE GRABBED ITS WRISTS AND PULLED HIM DOWN. HE FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO  
GET UP. HE GRABBED HIS MAGNUM AND GUNNED DOWN THE ELITES. THAT'S WHEN JUN FOUND  
HIM.

A RIFLE BLAST WENT OFF THAN SIX WOKE WITH AN ELITE'S BODY LYING AT HIS FEET. ETHAN STOOD NEXT TO IT RIFLE IN HAND."THANKS" SIX SAID. "NO PROB-"AN ELITE KNOCKED ETHAN DOWN HIS BLADE BROKE THROUGH HIS SHIELDS. SUDEENLY BRIAN JUMPED  
DOWN FROM THE THIRD FLOOR HIS SHIELDS BURST INSTANTLY WHEN HE LANDED. BRIAN JUMPED ON THE ELITE'S BACK AND DUG HIS KNIFE INTO ITS BACK, PULLED HIM TO THE GROUND. THE ELITE TRIED TO FIGHT BACK BUT BRIAN STOOD ON TOP OF IT PINNING IT  
DOWN. THE ELITE REACHED FOR ITS SWORD, BUT WITHIN THE NEXT SECOND IT LAY STILL, BRIAN'S SHOTGUN SMOKING FROM THE BARREL. "JUN SPOTTED MORE GET READY FOR BATTLE SPARTANS!" BRIAN EXCLAIMED. EVERYONE LOADED THEIR WEAPONS AND GOT TO THEIR  
POSITIONS. "ETHAN," GRIFFON SAID, "GO WITH JUN ON THE ROOF. BRIAN, CHRIS YOU TAKE THE FRONT GATES SINCE YOU'RE OUR CLOSE QUARTERS. SIX, DAX, HELP THE ODSTS. KRYSTAL YOU AND-"HE WAS INTERUPTED BY A LOUD EXPLOSION ELITES FLOODED THE ROOM.  
EVERY ONE OPENED FIRE; THE ELITES DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE. "WE SHOULD LEAVE COMMANDER" KRYSTAL REMARKED. THERE WAS A LOUD HISS A SPEC-OPS ELITE LUNGED AT KRYSTAL. JUST THEN ANDERS CAME IN. "SIR THEY'VE BREACHED THE BASE!" ANDERS  
EXCLAIMED. THE ELITE PUT HIS BLADE THROUGH ANDERS EASILY AND TOSSED HIM ASIDE.

CHRIS FIRED HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER, THE BLAST HIT THE ELITE DIRECTLY IN THE CHEST, AND IT CRUMPLED TO THE FLOOR. "POSITIONS NOW!" GRIFFON YELLED. "THEY'RE SENDING IN BRUTES AND 'S A WHOLE COVENANT FLEET. WE'RE BEING  
INVADED!" JUN INFORMED. GRIFFON WENT WITH SIX AND DAX TO HELP THE ODSTS AND MARINES. SIX AND DAX TOOK THE FIRST FLOOR WHILE GRIFFON AND KRYSTAL WE'RE ON THE SECOND FLOOR PROVIDING FIRE WITH THEIR DMRS. "BANSHEES!" A MARINE YELLED.  
WILSON GRABBED HIS ROCKET LAUNCHER "I GOT 'EM". THE COVENANT FORCES WE'RE COMING NON STOP. "IT'S BEEN AN HOUR DAMMIT COMMANDER WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING!" KRYSTAL EXCLAIMED. "SHIT HUNTERS!" THOMPSON INFORMED. A NEDDLE RIFLE WENT OFF  
AND HE DROPPED DEAD, CRYSTAL BETWEEN HIS EYES. "SNIPERS!" A MARINE EXCLAIMED. "BRIAN YOU AND CHRIS STOP THOSE HUNTERS." GRIFFON ORDERED. "SIR!" ON THE FIRST FLOOR MARINES AND ODST BODIES LAY EVERYWHERE. FOR EVERY FIVE DEAD BODIES THERE  
WAS ONE COVENANT BODY. THEY WERE BEING OVER RUN. THOUGH KURIK AND HIS MEN WERE HOLDING THEIR GROUND. "GRIFFON I SEE GHOSTS AND WRAITHS IN EVERY DIRECTION WE CAN'T TAKE THEM ALL DOWN." "GET SOME SCORPIONS OUT THER AND MAN THOSE TURRENTS  
MEN!" GRIFFON COMMANDED. "COMMANDER WATCH OUT!" KRYSTAL WARNED. SHE PUSHED HIM OUT OF THE WAY AS BANSHEE BLAST LANDED WHERE HE, NOW KRYSTAL, STOOD. THE BLAST SENT HER FLYING AND GRIFFON WAS STUNNED. A ZEALOT APPEARED BEHIND HIM; SHE  
TACKLED IT DOWN AND SHOVED A BULLET DOWN ITS THROAT. "THANKS" GRIFFON SAID. ANOTHER ZEALOT APPEARED AND WITH ONE SWIPE KRYSTALS HELMET ROLLED TO THE GROUND.

"NO!" GRIFFON YELLED. KRYSTAL FELL TO THE GROUND HEADLESS. GRIFFON  
TACKLED THE ELITE PULLED OUT A GRENADE AND SHOVED IT IN ITS MOUTH. "EAT THIS YOU SONOVA BITCH." GRIFFN SAID FULL OF RAGE. HE TURNED AND GRABBED HER HELMET, JUST THEN AN EXPLOSION WENT OFF. GRIFFON TOOK KRYSTALS HELMET AND PUT IT NEXT  
TO HER. "IM SORRY" HE WHISPERED. "DAX! SIX," THEY LOOKED UP "GRAB A PELICAN AND GET OUTA HERE. LOOK FOR ANOTHER BASE OR SOME WHERE SAFE TO HIDE." GRIFFON ORDERED. "BRIAN, CHRIS, GO WITH THEM." "SIR YOU CAN'T HOLD THIS BASE ALONE."  
BRIAN SAID "I'VE GOT SNIPER SUPPORT" GRIFFON SHOT BACK. THEY HEADED TOWARD SIX AND DAX WHEN, THE 'LIVING DEAD' CAME IN. "DAMMIT NOT NOW!" GRIFFON EXCLAIMED. THEN, THE WEIRDEST THING HAPPENED. THE COVENANT ALL TURNED AND ATTACKED THE  
INFECTED. GRIFFON WAS SURPRISED, RELIEVED AND JOYFUL ALL AT THE SAME TIME. A FIELD MARSHALL TURNED TO GRIFFON AND SAID "WE TEAM UP, FOR NOW".


	4. Team Up

SIX AND THE OTHERS WE'RE ALREADY AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE BASE. LAST SIX SAW OF THE SPARTANS THERE THE COVENANT HAD JOINED FORCES. BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH, SIX WONDERED. SIX WAS LOST IN THOUGHT WHEN SUDDENLY BRIAN WARNED, "SHIT SCARAB EVERY BODY JUMP!" SIX AND DAX JUMPED OUT, BUT NOT BRIAN AND CHRIS. THE SCARAB FIRED; BRIAN AND CHRIS WENT INTO ARMOR LOCK, THE PELICAN EXPLODED INSTANTLY. BRIAN AND CHRIS FELL STILL IN ARMOR LOCK. THEY ALL FELL INTO THE WATER. THE SCARAB SPOTTED THEM. "EVERY ONE GET DOWN!" BRIAN SAID. THEY DOVE INTO THE WATER. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES OF SWIMMING; THEY CAME UP FROM THE WATER. "I THINK WE'RE SA-" BRIAN WAS INTERUPTED. HE WAS PICKED UP AND THROWN FROM THE WATER BY BRUTES. BRIAN GOT TO HIS FEET SHOTGUN AT THE READY. SIX AND THE OTHERS WHERE THEN AMBUSHED BY NEEDLE, FOCUS AND CONCUSION RIFLES. THE FIRST BRUTE CHARGED WITH HIS GRAVITY HAMMER, ONE BLAST TO THE CHEST, AND THE BRUTE FELL DOWN.

BRIAN TURNED TO FACE THE SECOND AND WAS SMASHED BY THE GRAVITY HAMMER. THE BRUTE LIFTED UP HIS HAMMER TO STRIKE AGAIN. THE BRUTE WAS HIT SQUARE IN THE RIBCAGE BY BRIAN'S SHOTGUN; IT STUMBLED BACKWARDS. BRIAN JUMPED UP AND BLASTED THE BRUTE RIGHT IN THE HEAD. HE TURNED TO THE OTHERS, THEY COULDN'T TAKE ANY MORE. HE GRABBED HIS ROCKET LAUNCHER. HE SHOT AT THE WHERE THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM. HE SHOT THE MOUNTAINS DOWN. "C'MON LETS GO" BRIAN SAID. MEAN WHILE BACK AT THE BASE, GRIFFON AND THE ODSTS WE'RE HOLDING THEIR GROUND AGAINST THE FLOOD. THE COVENANT WAS A MAJOR HELP, IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM THE BASE WOULD'VE BEEN OVER RUN. JUST THEN A LOW GROWL FILLED THE AIR. GRIFFON LOOKED TOWARDS THE COVENANT. THE FIELD MARSHALL WAS COVERED IN SMALL INSECT LIKE CREATURES HE SHOT THEM OFF WITH HIS PLASMA RIFLE, BUT THER WERE TOO MANY; THE ELITE PULLED OUT HIS SWORD AND SWUNG WILDLY AT HIS BACK. MORE FELL OFF, BUT A FEW CAME FROM THE FRONT AND TORE THROUGH HIS CHEST. THE ELITE CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND. THE ZEALOTS TURNED TO SEE THERE LEADER FALL. THEY LET OUT BATTLE CRIES AND RAN INTO THE CROWD OF FLOOD TO AVENGE THEIR FALLEN COMMANDER. THE MINOR COVENANT TROOPS WERE BEING KILLED EASILY AND QUICKLY. THERE ONLY A FEW GRUNTS AND JACKALS LEFT. EVEN THE BRUTES AND ELITES WERE HAVING TROUBLE. GRIFFON AND THE ODSTS WERE FINE BUT THE MARINES WERE IN TROUBLE. "FALL BACK!", GRIFFON ORDERED, "ALL MARINES FALL BACK TO THE UPPER FLOORS BEFORE YOU'RE OVER RUN!"

ANOTHER GROWL TOLD GRIFFON ONE OF THE ELITES WAS KILLED. THERE WAS ONLY ONE ZEALOT LEFT. GRIFFON LOOKED AROUND, THE OTHER ELITES WE'RE ALL MINORS OR MAJORS, THE ZEALOT WAS THE ONLY LEADER LEFT. GREAT, GRIFFON THOUGHT. THE ZEALOT WAS KEEPING THE FLOOD AT BAY, BUT EVERY TIME THE FLOOD WERE KILLED ANOTHER DEAD BODY ROSE TO REPLACE THEM. THREE ELITES CHARGED AT THE ZEALOT HE SLASHED THE FIRST TWO DOWN BUT THE THIRD SENT ITS SWORD STRAIGHT THROUGH HIS HEART. THE ZEALOT LOOKED AT GRIFFON AND SAID "DO IT" GRIFFON UNDERSTOOD HE SHOT THE ZEALOT THROUGH THE HEAD AND THEN THE OTHER. "KURIK GET YOUR SQUAD OVER HERE THE COVENANT ARE DONE FOR WE NEED TO FALL BACK" GRIFFON SAID, THE FAITH FADING IN HIS VOICE AND ATTITUDE. RIFLE BLASTS WENT OFF, GRIFFON TURNED TO SEE ETHAN AND JUN NEXT TO HIM. "COMMANDER?" ETHAN ASKED WAITING FOR ORDERS. "GRAB SOME ASSAULT RIFLES, SNIPE WHEN YOU CAN BUT I'D USE THE ASSAULT RIFLES. THESE THINGS CAN MOVE PRETTY FAST THEY'LL BE HARD TO SNIPE" GRIFFON REPLIED. WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE COVENANT WAS QUICKLY DEPLETING. BRIAN AND THE OTHERS HAD TO WALK ON FOOT THE REST OF THE WAY. UNTIL THEY FOUND SOME COVENANT VEHICLES BRIAN TOOK A GHOST AND SIX, DAX AND CHRIS JUMPED INTO REVNANTS. THEY HAD BEEN TRAVELING FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES, WHEN THEY WE'RE AMBUSHED. BANSHEES COVERED THE SKY WRAITHS CONTROLLED THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY AN ARMADA OF GHOSTS AND REVNANTS. "SIX, DAX STAY IN THE REVANTS AND TAKE OUT THEIR CONVOY. CHRIS AND I GOT THE SKY" BRIAN ORDERED. CHRIS READIED HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER AND BRIAN PULLED OUT HIS BAZOOKA. "I NEED TO GET TO HIGHER GROUND SO I CAN GET A BETTER SHOT." CHRIS YELLED OVER THE SOUND OF EXPLOSIONS AND TURRETS "GO, I DON'T NEED HELP" BRIAN SAID COCKILY. "WHEN DO YOU EVER?" CHRIS SHOT BACK. BRIAN LAUGHED. CHRIS GOT TO A CLIFF HIGH ENOUGH TO WHERE IF HE HAD TO JUMP IT WOULDN'T KILL HIM. THE BANSHEES SWOOPED DOWN FAST LAYING FIRE ACROSS THE SKY AND GROUND. SIX AND DAX WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE GHOSTS. BRIAN TOOK OUT THREE BANSHEES WITH A SINGLE SHOT OF HIS ROCKET LAUNCHER. A BANSHEE BOMB SHOT STRAIGHT TOWARDS BRIAN, HE WENT INTO ARMOR LOCK AND THE BLAST WAS COMPLETELY DEFLECTED. AS HE CAME OUT OF ARMOR LOCK A BANSHEE WAS CHARGING TOWARDS HIM. SUDDENLY THE BANSHEE EXPLODED; BRIAN LOOKED UP TO SEE CHRIS RELOADING. "I GOT YOUR BACK BRO" CHRIS SAID. THE SECOND FLOOR WAS COMPLETELY INVADED BY FLOOD, GRIFFON AND THE OTHERS HAD BEEN PUSHED BACK BY THE FLOOD. THE COVENANT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY WIPED OUT AND THERE WERE VERY FEW MARINES LEFT. THEY WOULDN'T LAST MUCH LONGER AND GRIFFON KNEW IT. "PLEASE COME BACK IN TIME," GRIFFON THOUGHT "PLEASE" GRIFFON THREW HIS LAST GRENADE INTO THE GROUP OF FLOOD. BODIES WENT FLYING.

"KURIK YOU AND YOUR MEN GET TO THOSE TURRETS AND TAKE THESE BASTARDS OUT" GRIFFON ORDERED. "OH YEAH," GRIFFON CONTINUED "WILSON SAVE THAT ROCKET LAUNCHER, WE'LL NEED IT LATER ON" "SIR" WILSON SAID. ANOTHER FEW BANSHEES DROPPED FROM THE SKY IN FLAMES. DESTROYED VEHICLES LAY EVERY WHERE AND EXPLOSIONS MARKS AS WELL. CHRIS TURNED TO SEE A BANSHEE SPEEDING STRAIGHT FOR HIM. HE CHECKED HIS BELT, NO GRENADES LEFT. HE TURNED TO BRIAN, "I'M OUT" HE YELLED. BRIAN TOSSED HIM A FRAG. CHRIS CAUGHT IT THREW IT INTO THE BANSHEES CANNON AND WENT INTO ARMORLOCK. THE BANSHEE ZIPPED BY HIM AND THE LEFT WING WAS EMBEDED WITH FLAMES AS IT FELL TO THE GROUND. "WE COULD USE SOME HELP OVER HERE!" SIX SAID AS 3 WRAITHS APPROACHED THEM. CHRIS SHOT HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER; THE BLAST HIT THE WRAITH STRAIGHT IN THE CENTER. IT BLEW UP ON IMPACT. THE OTHER TWO WRAITHS SHOT THEIR BLAST AT CHRIS, HE JUMPED OFF THE CLIFF; HE WAS SHOT BY A REVANT BLAST AND HE FLEW IN THE AIR LANDING FIVE FEET AWAY. "SIX, DAX CHECK ON CHRIS, I GOT THESE ASSHOLES" BRIAN SAID. SIX AND DAX RUSHED TO CHRIS. BRIAN JUMPED ONTO THE WRAITH, HE WENT INTO ARMOR LOCK; HE BUST OUT OF ARMOR LOCK AND JUMPED OFF JUST AS THE WRAITH EXPLODED. REVNANTS AND GHOST NEAR IT EXPLODED AS WELL. THE BLAST SENT BRIAN SKIDDING ON THE GROUND. THE THIRD WRAITH APPROACHED, BRIAN GOT UP IN TIME TO DODGE IT'S CANNON; THE WRAITH SPED FORWARD. BRIAN WENT INTO ARMOR LOCK THE WRAITH SMASHED INTO HIM; THE GUNNER FLEW OUT OF ITS SEAT. BRIAN HOPPED ONTO THE WRIATH AND THREW THE PILOT OUT AND DUG HIS KNIFE INTO ITS THROAT HE TURNED TO SEE THE OTHERS APPROACHING HIM. "IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT MORE THAN A WRAITH TO TAKE ME OUT"CHRIS SAID. GRIFFONS VOICE APPEARED ON THEIR HEADSETS. "BRIAN, CHRIS, REPORT BACK TO BASE WE'RE GETTING OUR ASSES KICKED BACK HERE ABORT THAT MISSION SPARTANS WE NEED YOU." GRIFFON ORDERED WORRIEDLY. "SIR ME AND CHRIS WE'LL COME BACK SIX AND DAX WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR A SAFE CAMPOUT" BRIAN RESPONDED. "BRIAN THAT'S AN-" GRIFFON WAS CUT OFF. BRIAN HAD TURNED HIS MIC OFF. "LOOKS LIKE WE GOT DISCONNECTED," BRIAN JOKED "SIX, THINK YOU TWO CAN HANDLE THINGS?" BRIAN ASKED. "DON'T WORRY WE GOT THINGS COVERED HERE LIEUTENANT" SIX SAID.


	5. Dax's Discovery

SIX AND DAX BEGAN WALKING AWAY FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE BATTLE. "PHANTOM GET DOWN" DAX SAID. SIX AND DAX HID BEHIND A ROCK. "CAN YOU SEE HOW MANY ARE IN THERE?" SIX ASKED. "HOLD ON… WAIT WHAT?" DAX SAID TO HIMSELF. "WHAT IS IT?" SIX ASKED. "IT'S THOSE ZOMBIE THINGS, THEY'VE TAKEN OVER A PHANTOM" DAX TOLD SIX. "LETS FOLLOW IT" SIX SAID. "OR TRY AND BOARD IT" DAX SUGGESTED. SIX AND DAX CLIMBED UP A CLIFF HIGH ENOUGH TO THE ENTRACE OF THE PHANTOM. THEY JUMPED INTO THE PHANTOM. THERE WEREN'T MANY FLOOD ON THE SHIP, SO THEY TOOK OUT THE PASSENGERS SILENTLY. "NOW LET'S SEE WHERE THIS PHANTOM LEADS US" DAX SAID. ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER THEY SAW A BASE IN THE DISTANCE.

"DO YOU THINK IT'S EMPTY?" SIX ASKED. "IT WILL BE WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH IT" DAX REPLIED. THE PHANTOM HEADED AWAY FROM THE BASE. "SHIT THE LANDING DOCK IS THREE MILES AWAY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGHT OUR WAY THROUGH TO THE BASE." DAX SAID. THEY JUMPED OUT OF THE PHANTOM. SIX LANDED HARD HE LOOKED UP TO BE SURROUNDED BY FLOOD BRUTES AND ELITES. HE LOOKED AROUND, DAX WAS GONE. "DAX?" SIX SAID. SIX READIED HIS GUN. JUST THEN AN ELITE DROPPED, THEN ANOTHER, ANOTHER, SIX TACKLED DOWN A BRUTE AND SNAPPED ITS NECK. THE LAST TWO BRUTES FELL. DAX APPEARED SUDDENLY. "YOU DIDN'T THINK I'D DITCH YOU DID YA?" DAX ASKED. "FOR A SECOND, YEAH" SIX REPLIED. THEY RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD TOWARDS THE BASE. JUST THEN TWO HUNTERS APPEARED. "DAMMIT!" SIX YELLED. DAX DISSAPEARED AGAIN, "DISTRACT THEM AS LONG AS YOU CAN" HE HEARD DAX SAY TO HIM FROM SOMEWHERE. SIX DODGED, SIDESTEPPED, AND ROLLED OUT OF THE WAY OF THE HUNTERS BUT HE WAS GETTING TIRED. A GASH WENT ACROSS THE HUNTERS THROAT, BLOOD SPILLED OUT. THE SECOND FELL AS WELL IN A PILE OF BLOOD. DAX APPEARED AGAIN PUTTING HIS KNIFE IN ITS SHEATH. "LETS GO" DAX SAID. THEY FINALLY REACHED THE BASE. SIX LOOKED AROUND, THERE WERE DEAD BODIES LAYING EVERY WHERE, AND TONS OF PLASMA DAMAGE. "THEY MUST'VE PUT UP QUITE A FIGHT." SIX SAID. "THE MARINES OR THE COVENANT?" DAX ASKED. "BOTH" SIX REPLIED. "HOW ARE THESE THINGS SO POWERFUL?" SIX ASKED. "I DON'T KNOW MAN; I JUST WANNA SEND THE CO-ORDINATES OF THIS PLACE AND GO." DAX SAID. "YOU SURE IT'S EMPTY?" SIX QUESTIONED. ''THERE WASN'T THAT MUCH RESIST-" DAX WAS CUT OFF AS ELITES TACKLED HIM ONTO THE GROUND. SIX TACKLED AN ELITE DOWN. "GO!" HE YELLED TO DAX. DAX TOOK OFF TOWARDS THE COMPUTER ROOM. SIX PULLED OUT HIS DMR AND OPENED FIRE. TWO DIED EASILY, THE OTHER THREE PUT UP A FIGHT THEY KEPT HIDING BEHIND COVER AND GETTING HIM FROM BEHIND. "I'M ALMOST THERE HOLD ON SIX" DAX SAID. SIX TOOK ANOTHER ONE DOWN. THE OTHER TWO ATTACKED SIX PUNCHED THE FIRST ONE AND HIT THE SECOND WITH THE BUT OF HIS GUN. HE SHOT THEM BOTH THROUGH THE MOUTH BEFORE THEY COULD RECOVER. HE LOOKED DOWN THE DARK HALLWAY; IT WAS LUMINATED BY BLUE LIGHT. ELITES APPEARED OUT OF THE HALLWAY.

"DAX, I'M OUT OF TIME" SIX SAID. "SIX GO I'LL BE FINE" DAX SAID. "NO, I'LL BUY YOU SOME TIME."SIX SAID. OUT OF NO WHERE HE WAS ATTACKED BY A SPARTAN. "WHAT THE HELL?" SIX SAID. "HEY STOP I'M ON YOUR SIDE" SIX SAID BUT THE SPARTAN KEPT COMING AT HIM. IT PULLED OUT A SHOTGUN AND GOT READY TO FIRE. DAX WAS CHECKING THE COMPUTERS HISTORY DATA BASE. "C'MON THERES GOTTA BE SOMETHING IN HERE." DAX SAID TO HIMSELF. HE OPENED A FILE AND WAS SURPRISED BY WHAT HE SAW. "NO WAY, I'VE GOT TO SEND THIS TO THE OTHERS RIGHT AWAY, THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT" HE SAID IN AWE. HE SENT THE FILE TO ETHANS A.I. "ETHAN, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME I SENT YOU A MAP OF A BASE TO YOU'RE A.I UPLOAD IT TO YOUR GPS RIGHT AWAY" DAX SAID. "DAX, I'M BEING OVER RUN HURRY" SIX SAID. "I'VE GOT NO CHOICE, WE'RE OUT OF TIME; THE FILE IS STILL BEING SENT." DAX SAID TO HIMSELF. "SIX GO I GOT THIS, YOU BETTER HURRY YOU GOT THIRTY SECONDS." DAX SAID. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" SIX SAID. OVER THE SPEAKERS A VOICE SAID SELF DESTRUCT IN TWENTY NINE. SIX BEGAN TO RUN, BUT THE SPARTAN WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM. THE ENTRACE WAS CLOSE BUT THE SPARTAN WOULD CATCH UP WEITH HIM AND THEY'D ALL DIE. SIX MADE A WILD JUMP HE LANDED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR. THE SPARTAN EXITED AS WELL, WHEN _BOOM!_ THE BASE BLEW UP THE BLAST INCINRATED THE SPARTAN. SIX WENT FLYING BACKWARDS. HE LANDED HARD AND EVERYTHING WENT BLACK…


	6. Escape

PART 2: THE JOURNEY TO SAFETY

THE FLOOD HAD PUSHED THEM ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE COURTYARD. WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY? GRIFFON THOUGHT TO HIMSELF. JUST THEN HE WAS CIRCLED BY SIX ELITES. OUT OF NOWHERE, CHRIS LANDED ON THE FLOOR IN ARMOR LOCK. BRIAN LANDED ON HIM AND SHOT THE FIRST ELITE, THE SECOND, THE THIRD, THE FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIX. BRIAN RELOADED HIS GUN. "MISSED ME?" BRIAN SAID. "NOT REALY" GRIFFON REPLIED. "WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?' GRIFFON DEMANDED. "THEY'RE STILL SEARCHING FOR A BASE SIR" BRIAN SAID. "I TOLD YOU TO-", BRIAN CUT HIM OFF "I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID. BUT IF WE STAYED HERE WE WOULD ALL DIE. KRYSTAL WAS RIGHT GRIFFON." BRIAN SAID. "DON'T WORRY, THEY'LL BE FINE" BRIAN ASSURED GRIFFON. SIX WOKE UP TO THE SIGHT OF THE BASE IN RUINS. HE GOT UP AND LOADED HIS WEAPON. HE CHECKED TO SEE IF HIS COM STILL WORKED. "THIS IS SIX DOES ANYONE COPY?" SIX SAID. AN ODST ANSWERED ON HIS MIC. "HANG ON SIX, YOUR TRANSPORT IS ON THE WAY" SIX POPPED A FLARE AND WAITED. HE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT DAX HAD DONE. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO BLOW THE BASE UP. HE COULD'VE LET SIX DIE. THEY COULD'VE GONE BACK TO BASE EMPTY HANDED. BUT DAX CHOSE TO RISK HIS LIFE TO SAVE EVERYONE ELSE'S. "I'M OUT OF AMMO!" KURIK SAID. "HERE!" SANDERS TOSSED HIM A MAG. "SKIRMISHERS COMING FROM THE SOUTH EAST" JUN SAID. "I'LL GET 'EM" KURIK SAID. "WILSON, TOSS ME THAT MAGNUM" KURIK SAID. WILSON SLID IT OVER TO HIM. KURIK HEADED TOWARDS THE SKIRMISHERS.

"WHERE'S ETHAN?" GRIFFON ASKED. "ETHAN, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" GRIFFON ASKED. JUST THEN ETHAN APPEARED FROM THE COMPUTER ROOM. "SIR, DAX SENT ME THE CO-ORDINATES OF A BASE UNTOUCHED BY THE COVENANT. HE UP-LOADED IT TO MY A.I, I JUST FINISHED LOOKING AT IT. IT'S PRETTY FAR AWAY BUT WE'LL BE SAFE." "GOOD JOB DAX" GRIFFON SAID TO HIMSELF. "MEN PREPARE THE PELICANS WE'RE LEAVING!" GRIFFON ORDERED. "THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THESE THINGS WE CAN'T REACH THE BASE. PLUS WE GOT BANSHEES INCOMING." AN ODST REPORTED TO GRIFFON. "SHIT." HE SAID. "SIR I'LL KILL THESE THINGS, JUST HEAD FOR THE FALCONS" ETHAN SAID. "YOU TOO, JUN GO" JUN TOOK OFF TOWARDS THE PELICANS. GRIFFON TURNED TO ETHAN "YOU BETTER BE ON THAT PELICAN WHEN IT TAKES OFF" GRIFFON SAID. A BANSHEE SWOOPED DOWN TOWARDS GRIFFON. A ROCKET SPIRALED TOWARDS THE BANSHEE, IT EXPLODED. WILSON STOOD BEHIND HIM. HE SHOT ANOTHER BANSHEE DOWN. RELOADED AND SHOT DOWN TWO MORE. "I'M OUTTA AMMO" WILSON SAID. "JUST GET ABOARD A PELICAN" ETHAN SAID. ETHAN SNIPED THE FLOOD DOWN. FIRST HE TOOK OUT THE BANSHEES, THEN THE GROUND TROOPS. THERE WERE ONLY A FEW LEFT. "SCREW THEM ETHAN GET ABOARD" GRIFFON SAID. ETHAN RAN TOWARDS THE PELICAN, STILL TAKING GUNFIRE FROM THE REMAINING FLOOD. A NEEDLE RIFLE SHOT INTO HIS HELMET THE NEEDLE STOPPED AN INCH AWAY FROM HIS EYE. HE TOOK THE A.I OUT OF HIS HELMET AND THREW THE HELMET ON THE GROUND. HE CONTINUED TO RUN. HE WAS CLOSE TO THE FALCON HE JUMPED AND _CRACK!_ A RIFLE BLAST WENT OFF. THE BULLET WENT RIGHT THROUH ETHAN, THE SPOT BETWEEN HIS CHEST AND RIBCAGE. HIS HAND OPENED UP, HE DROPPED THE A.I ON THE FALCON AND FELL TO THE GROUND. "OH SHIT! PILOT TAKE OFF! TAKE OFF!" BRIAN SAID. BEFORE THE RAMP CLOSED ON THE PELICAN EVERYONE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF A SPARTAN STANDING WITH A RIFLE IN HIS HAND. THE PELICANS TOOK OFF.


	7. New Hope

ABOUT THREE DAYS INTO THEIR TRIP, SIX CAUGHT UP WITH THE OTHERS. HE TOLD THEM WHAT  
HAPPENED. "DAMMIT!" GRIFFON SAID LOOKING AT BRIAN. "YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED  
BECAUSE OF YOUR PLAN." HE SAID ANGRILY. "YO DON'T BLAME THIS ON ME; THE DUMBASS  
DIDN'T HAVE TO BLOW THE WHOLE PLACE. AND WHAT ABOUT ETHAN, YOU COULD'VE SAVED  
HIM." BRIAN SHOT BACK AT GRIFFON. "THAT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT HE DIED SAVING  
US, DAX DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE" GRIFFON YELLED BACK. "SO DID DAX, HE CHOSE TO DIE." BRIAN SAID.  
"DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT THEIR DEATHS?" GRIFFON ASKED. "BEFORE THIS I WAS  
WORKING SOLO FOR FIVE YEARS, I JOINED YOU THREE MONTHS AGO, I DON'T REALLY TALK  
TO ANYONE BUT CHRIS SO, NO NOT REALLY" BRIAN SAID.

GRIFFON RAISED HIS FIST AT BRIAN AND SWUNG BRIAN DUCKED AND HIT HIM WITH THE BUTT OF HIS GUN. BRIAN  
LAUGHED, "YOU'RE OUR COMMANDER, PFF" BRIAN WALKED AWAY. A SUDDEN JOLT SENT THE  
PELICAN SPINNING, THE RAMP WAS OPEN AND BRIAN WENT FLYING OUT. "EVERYBODY BRACE  
FOR IMPACT!" GRIFFON SAID. THE PELICAN SMASHED INTO THE GROUND. SIX GOT OUT OF  
THE WRECKAGE DAZED. HE WAS CAPTURED BY SOME ELITES THEY WERE ABOUT TO KILL HIM  
WHEN A RIFLE BLAST WENT OF AND ONE FELL DEAD. ANOTHER BLAST MADE ANOTHER  
CRUMPLE TO THE GROUND. EVERYBODY ELSE MADE IT OUT OF THE PELICAN AND OPPENED  
FIRE ON THE ELITES. GRIFFON CHECKED HIS DATA PAD "LOOKS LIKE THIS BASE IS  
ANOTHER THREE DAYS AWAY NOW THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO ON FOOT. "NO YOU WON'T,"  
KURIK SAID. GRIFFON LOOKED UP TO SEE THE OTHER PELICANS IN THE SKY. "WE'LL FLY  
AWAY FROM THESE GUYS JUST HURRY AND GET HERE" KURIK SAID. "YOU HEARD HIM  
SPARTANS LOCK AND LOAD." BRIAN WOKE UP, HE LOOKED AROUND HE WAS IN A CRATER. HE  
REMEMBERED GOING INTO ARMOR LOCK TO BREAK THE FALL BUT HE HAD STILL PASSED OUT.  
JUST THEN TWO SPARTANS APPEARED. "HEY YOU GUYS ALLRIGHT?" BRIAN ASKED. THEN HE  
SAW THE COLOR OF THEIR ARMOR THE SAME COLOR AS THE ARRMOR THE INFECTED ODSTS  
HAD. "OH SHIT." BRIAN SAID. THEY BOTH PULLED OUT SHOTGUNS AND FIRED. BRIAN  
ROLLED TO THE SIDE AND SHOT ONE DEAD IN THE CHEST. THE SECOND PUNCHED BRIAN  
THEN KNEED HIM IN THE STOMACH. THE SECOND ONE RECOVERED AND JOINED THE FIGHT.  
BRIAN SMACKED THE FIRST ACROSS THE HEAD WITH HIS SHOTGUN, BUT NOT BEFORE THEY  
BOTH FIRED AT HIM. THE BLAST TOOK OUT HIS SHIELDS INSTANTLY. THEY WALKED  
TOWARDS HIM. THEY AIMED THEIR GUNS AT HIS HEAD. BRIAN SHOT, THEY STUMBLED BACK.  
BRIAN TACKLED ONE DOWN AND DUG HIS KNIF INTO HIS NECK. THE SECOND AIMED HIS  
GUN. BRIAN SHOT, THE SPARTAN STUMBLED BACKWARDS. BRIAN SHOT AGAIN; AGAIN THE  
FOURTH SHOT FINISHED HIM OFF. BRIAN RELOADED HIS GUN. HE BEGAN WALKING. AFTER  
THIRTY MINUTES OR SO HE SAW A PHANTOM LAND AND DROP OFF ELITES. ALL ZEALOTS. AN  
ELITE CHARGED HE SHOT IT DOWN ANOTHER CHARGED HE SHOT AGAIN, IT CRUMPLED TO THE  
GROUND. ANOTHER CAME FROM BEHIND, HE ELBOWED IT PULLED OUT HIS KNIFE AND SLIT  
ITS THROAT. HE TURNED TO HAVE A ZEALOT SLASH HIM ACROSS THE CHEST, AND KICK  
HIM. HIS SHEILDS WERE DOWN NOW; ANOTHER SLASHED HIM ACROSS THE STOMACH. HE SHOT  
IT IN THE HEAD. TWO MORE CAME HE DODGED.

THE FIRST AND SHOT THE SECOND DEAD. THE OTHER TURNED BACK AROUND HE RAN TOWARDS  
BRIAN. HE PUNCHED IT IN THE JAW THEN SHOT. HE HAD ONE SHOT LEFT, HE LOOKED UP  
THERE WERE STILL ANOTHER TWELVE. HE THREW HIS KNIFE AND IT WENT RIGHT INTO THE  
MOUTH OF AN ELITE. THEY ALL CHARGED. HE SHOT AND TWO FELL DEAD. ANOTHER SHOVED  
HIM DOWN. HE STABBED ANOTHER WITH HIS SECOND KNIFE. THEY ALL PILED ON BRIAN  
SLASHING WITH THEIR SWORDS. GRIFFON AND THE OTHERS MADE IT TOWARDS THE PELICAN.  
THE PELICAN TOOK OFF. "WE NEED TO FIND BRIAN." CHRIS SAID. "THAT WON'T BE  
NECESSARY" JUN SAID "LOOK". THEY LOOKED OUTSIDE THE PELICAN. THEY SAW BRIAN ON  
THE GROUND DEAD. "I'M SORRY" JUN SAID TO CHRIS. "FRIEND" HE ASKED. "BROTHER"  
CHRIS SAID.


	8. The Journey

THE PELICAN LANDED SIX, GRIFFON AND CHRIS GOT OUT THEY LOOKED AT THE SCENE. THEY CHECKED THE HELMET CAMERA AND WATCHED THE FOOTAGE. THE END OF THE VIDEO SHOWED THE ELITES PILING ON BRIAN. HE BLOCKED WITH HIS ARMS AS THEY SLASHED AT HIM. ONE SWORD SLASHED BRIAN'S ARM OUT OF THE WAY. BEFORE HE COULD LIFT HIS ARM UP AN ELITE STOMPED DOWN ON IT. ANOTHER SWORD SLASHED HIS OTHER ARM DOWN; A SECOND SWORD STABBED INTO HIS PALM BRIAN LOOKED FROM HIS ARM TO THE ELITE ON TOP OF HIM, AS IT SLASHED ACROSS HIS HELMET. THE VIDEO ENDED AND STATIC APPEARED ON THE SCREEN. "AT LEAST WE KNOW WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR" GRIFFON SAID. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN" SIX ASKED. "THE SPARTANS IN THE VIDEO THEY WERE PART OF A SPARTAN TEAM THAT WENT M.I.A RECENTLY. SPARTANS CAN GET INFECTED, NOW WE KNOW." GRIFFON REPLIED. "DAX KILLED ONE." SIX SAID SULLENLY. "BRIAN KILLED TWO" CHRIS SAID. "THEY'RE THREE OF THESE GUYS LEFT. WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL THESE GUYS KILLED ETHAN. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THEY'RE SPARTANS." GRIFFON SAID. THEY GOT BACK INTO THE FALCON. GRIFFON WALKED BACK TO BRIAN'S BODY. GRIFFON TOOK A CHIP FROM HIS HELMET. "WE SHOULD SHOW THIS TO SCIENTISTS ONCE WE GET OF THIS HELL HOLE. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THESE THINGS ARE AND HOW TO STOP THEM." GRIFFON SAID TO THE OTHERS. IF WE GET OFF REACH, SIX THOUGHT. JUN WAS WAITING FOR THEM IN THE PELICAN. GRIFFON LOOKED TO JUN. "THE CHIP" GRIFFON ASKED. JUN TOSSED THE A.I. TO GRIFFON. HE TOLD THE A.I. "THE MAP PLEASE". GRIFFON PUT THE A.I. INTO HIS GPS AND A MAP POPPED UP. "WE'RE ALMOST THERE BOYS" HE SAID. "BANSHEES INCOMING!" SIX YELLED. THE BANSHEES STARTED FIRING. A FEW SHOTS HIT THE THRUSTERS. "SIR WE CAN'T LET THEM HIT THOSE THRUSTERS" THE PILOT SAID TO GRIFFON. "CHAIN THE VEHICLES DOWN" HE TOLD CHRIS AND SIX. GRIFFON WAITED FOR THEM TO FINISH, THEY OPENED THE RAMP.

AN ENTIRE ARMY WORTH OF BANSHEES WE'RE BEHIND THEM. JUN PULLED OUT HIS SNIPER RIFLE, GRIFFON PULLED OUT A SPARTAN LASER. CHRIS GAVE SIX A ROCKET LAUNCHER. "YOU'LL NEED THIS" HE SAID. THE MARINES STARTED FIRING AS WELL. A BANSHEE BOMB CAME FLYING INTO THE PELICAN. CHRIS RAN IN FRONT OF IT. "CHRIS NO!" SIX YELLED. CHRIS WENT INTO ARMOR LOCK AND THE PELICAN WAS SAVED. SIX SAW JUN TRYING TO RELOAD BUT WAS TAKING BANSHEE FIRE. SIX GOT IN FRONT OF HIM AND FIRED HIS ROCKET. "I'LL COVER YOU" HE TOLD JUN. MORE BANSHEE BOMBS FLEW INTO THE PELICAN. TWO BOMBS TOOK OUT A SCORPION AND THREE WARTHOGS EXPLODED. THEY ONLY HAD TWO WARTHOGS LEFT. "WILSON" SIX YELLED TO THE ODST. "SIR" WILSON ASKED. "GOT ANY JETPACKS?" HE ASKED. WILSON TOSSED HIM ONE. SIX STRAPPED IT ON AND TOOK OFF. HE TOOK OUT FOUR BANSHEES WITH HIS LAUNCHER. THERE WAS NO TIME TO RELOAD. HE JUMPED ONTO A BANSHEE AND KICKED THE ELITE OUT HE JUMPED OFF BEFORE THE BANSHEE FELL. HE LANDED ON ANOTHER BANSHEE. THEN, HE SAW A PHANTOM APPROACHING. HE HAD AN IDEA. HE JETPACKED ONTO THE PHANTOM. "SIX WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING" JUN ASKED. SIX JUMPED INTO THE BANSHEE HE KILLED A STARTLED GRUNT. THE OTHER TROOPS WE'RE UNPREPARED, HE KICKED THEM ALL OUT OF THE PHANTOM. HE KILLED THE PILOTS AND SAT IN THE CONTROL SEAT. HE LOOKED AROUND. JUST WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR. A SELF DESTRUCT BUTTON, HE PRESSED IT. A TIMER APPEARED. "TWO MINUTES." SIX SAID ALOUD TO HIMSELF. HE DROVE THE PHANTOM TOWARDS THE BANSHEES. "GRIFFON CLOSE THE DOOR" SIX SAID. "SIX WHAT ARE YOU-" "JUST DO IT" SIX SAID. THE PELICAN RAMP LIFTED UP AND CLOSED. "JUN DON'T WORRY I'LL CATCH UP." HE SAID. THE PHANTOM WAS IN THE CENTER OFF BANSHEES. HE RAN OUT JUMPED ONTO A BANSHEE AND HIJACKED IT. HE TOOK OFF JUST AS THE PHANTOM EXPLODED. THE BLAST HIT THE BANSHEE IN THE THRUSTERS AND SIX WENT FALLING TO THE GROUND. HE JUMPED OUT OF THE BANSHEE AND GRABBED ONTO THE WINGS. HE STARTD THE JETPACK AND PULLED AT THE BANSHEE TRYING TO SLOW THE IMPACT THE JET PACK WAS DAMAGED TOO IT WOULDN'T LAST MUCH LONGER. THE JET PACK STOPPED, SIX LET GO OF THE BANSHEE AND FELL THROUGH THE SKY. SIX HIT THE GROUND BEFORE THE BANSHEE. HE SMACKED INTO THE GROUND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR HIT THE GROUND AGAIN AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. HE LOOKED UP TO SEE THE BANSHEE SLAM ONTO HIM. EVERYTHING WENT BLACK. SIX WOKE UP, THE BANSHEE STILL ON HIM. HE THREW IT OFF OF HIM AND STOOD UP. HIS SHIELDS WERE DAMAGED THEY WERE ONLY AT 50%. HE WAS BLEEDING FROM SEVERAL OPENINGS IN HIS ARMOR. HE LOOKED INTO THE SKY, HE COULDN'T SEE THE PELICAN. HOW LONG HAD HE BEEN PASSED OUT, HE WONDERED.

HE PICKED UP HIS DMR HAD ALL HIS ROUNDS. THE BANSHEE WAS WRECKED. HE WOULD HAVE TO WALK. LUCKILY, GRIFFON HAD GIVEN EACH OF THEM THE COORDINATES TO THE BASE IN THEIR HELMETS. HE PULLED OUT A HOLOGRAM AND CLICKED IT. THE MAP POPPED UP. ON THE MAP IT SHOWED HIS LOCATION AND THE OTHERS. THE OTHERS WERE ABOUT TWO HOURS AHEAD OF HIM, SINCE HE WAS ON FOOT. ABOUT AN HOUR INTO HIS TRIP, HE HEARD RUSTLING. OUT OF THE BUNDLE OF TREES, A SNIPER BLAST SHOT OUT AT SIX. HE JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY JUST IN TIME. A SPARTAN JUMPED OUT OF THE TREES. SIX TOOK ONE LOOK AT HIM AND KNEW HE WAS INFECTED. THE SPARTAN PULLED OUT AN ASSAULT RIFLE. BEFORE HE COULD FIRE SIX TACKLED THE SPARTAN TO THE GROUND AND UNSHEATHED HIS KNIFE. THE SPARTAN PUNCHED SIX IN THE STOMACH AND KICKED HIM OFF. SIX GRABBED THE ASSAULT RIFLE AND SHOT. THE SPARTAN STUBLED BACK, BUT APPEARED TO HAVE TAKEN LITTLE OR NO DAMAGE AT ALL. SIX THREW THE RIFLE INTO THE FOREST. USELESS, HE THOUGHT. THE SPARTAN PULLED OUT HIS KNIFE AS WELL, AND CHARGED. SIX PUNCHED AT THE SPARTAN HE DUCKED AND GOT A GOOD BLOW INTO SIX'S ARM. SIX YELLED OUT IN PAIN. THE SPARTAN KICKED SIX ONTO THE GROUND. THE SPARTAN JUMPED ONTO SIX AND PUNCHED HIM REPEATEDLY INTO SIX'S STOMACH. THE WEAKEST PART OF HIS ARMOR. SIX MANAGED TO FREE HIS ARM AND STAB INTO THE SPARTAN JUST MISSING HIS COLLAR BONE. THE SPARTAN MADE NO NOISE BUT GRABBED AT HIS SHOULDER IN PAIN. SIX KICKED HIM OFF. HE YANKED THE KNIFE FROM HIS ARM AND JUMPED ONTO THE SPARTAN. THE SPARTAN GRABBED SIX'S DMR, AND FIRED INTO SIX'S STOMACH. SIX KNEW HIS SHIELDS WERE DOWN NOW. HE ROSE UP THE KNIFE AND SWUNG IT DOWN INTO THE SPARTANS HELMET. A SICKINING _SHLUK_ LET SIX NOW IT WAS OVER. THE KNIFE STUCK RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES OF THE SPARTAN. ONLY THE HANDLE WAS STICKING OUT OF THE HELMET. SIX GRABBED THE KNIFE IN THE SPARTANS SHOULDER, CLEANED IT AND PUT IT BACK IN ITS SHEATH. SIX SAT DOWN AND RESTED. JUN HAD OPENED THE DOOR TO THE PELICAN TO SEE THE SMOKE AND FALLING BANSHEES. HE STARED INTO THE EMPTY SKY.

"THEY'RE ALL GONE," JUN WHISPERED "EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM". JUN TURNED ON HIS MIC. "SIX DO YOU COPY?" HE TRIED AGAIN, NOTHING. JUN WAS ABOUT TO TURN OFF HIS MIC WHEN A VOICE SAID "I'VE BEEN DELAYED JUN, DON'T WORRY I'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU GUYS LATER" "UNDERSTOOD" JUN SAID. JUN CLOSED THE RAMP AGAIN. GRIFFON AND CHRIS FINISHED THE BODY COUNT. THEY'RE WERE TEN MARINES DEAD AND ONLY FOUR ODSTS HAD DIED. A VOICE APPEARED ON GRIFFON'S MIC. "COMMANDER IT'S RECON TEAM 227, WE CHECKED THE AREA NO COVENANT ACTIVITY AT THE TIME LOOKS LIKE SMOOTH FLYING SIR" A MARINE SAID. "ROGER THAT RECON TEAM, WE HAVE NO ROOM LEFT IN THE PELICAN YOU'LL HAVE TO RIDE OUTSIDE OR DITCH THE FALCONS." GRIFFON REPLIED. "WE'LL STAY OUT HERE SIR MIGHT AS WE'LL KEEP AN EYE OUT JUST IN CASE" THE MARINE SAID. IT WAS NIGHT NOW AND SIX HAD RECOVERED FROM HIS FIGHT. HE BEGAN WALKING. A RUSTLING IN THE TREES ALERTED SIX. HE READIED HIS DMR, SUDDENLY FLOOD JUMPED OUT OF THE TREE LINE. SIX LOOKED AROUND, FLOOD WERE IN EVERY DIRECTION. THEY ATTACKED, SIX FIRED AND RAN. THE FLOOD BEGAN TO CHASE HIM, HE SHOT THREE IN THE HEAD. HE LOOKED IN FRONT OF HIM A GROUP OF FLOOD ATTACKED HE JUMPED AND THREW A GRENADE, BODIES WENT FLYING INTO THE SKY. THE FLOOD WAS STILL BEHIND HIM. SIX SAW A SAFE SPOT FOR HIM TO FIGHT THE FLOOD. HE JUMPED UP ONTO A SMALL CLIFF. THE FLOOD TRIED TO JUMP ONTO THE CLIFF, BUT SIX SHOT THEM DOWN AS THEY TRIED. THE FLOOD WERE QUICKLY DEPLETING, THEN HIS GUN STOPPED FIRING, OUT OF AMMO, SIX THOUGHT. THE FLOOD MANAGED TO JUMP ONTO THE LEDGE. HE PUMMLED A FEW DOWN AND HE BEGAN TO RUN AGAIN. SIX SAW A SMALL CAVE HE THREW A GRENADE THE EXPLOSION COVERED HIS EXIT. SIX SLIPPED INTO THE CAVE AND WAITED FOR THE FLOOD TO LEAVE. "I'LL HEAD OUT IN THE MORNING" SIX SAID TO HIMSELF.


	9. Safe Haven

**THREE DAYS LATER.** GRIFFON WAS SLEEPING WHEN HE HEARD FOOTSTEPS.  
HE PICKED UP HIS DMR. HE STEPPED OUT OF THE PELICAN AND RAN INTO SIX. "I WAS  
WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD CATCH UP" GRIFFON SAID. "WE'RE ALMOST THERE JUST  
ANOTHER DAYS TRIP" GRIFFON CONTINUED. "YOU MUST BE TIRED, GET INSIDE GET SOME  
REST. KURIK, YOU AND YOUR MEN WATCH THE PELICAN."

GRIFFON ADDED. "YOU HEARD HIM BOYS GET TO YOUR POSITIONS."KURIK SAID.  
SOMEONE WAS YELLING AT SIX. HE OPEND HIS EYES TO SEE AN ELITE LOOK DOWN AT HIM,  
IT ROARED SND LIFTED HIM OFF THE GROUND. THE ELITE PULLED OUT ITS SWORD, THE  
ELITE SWUNG BUT SIX KICKED HIS ARM ASIDE. SIX MANAGED TO GRAB HIS SIDE ARM HE  
SHOT THE ELITE IN THE EYE. IT DIDN'T LET GO BUT IT ROARED GIVING SIX THE CHANCE  
TO BLAST IT THROUGH THE MOUTH. THE ELITE CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND. SIX GRABBED  
HIS DMR OFF THE FLOOR AND RAN TO GRIFFON. "WHAT HAPPENED" SIX ASKED. "THE COVEY  
ATTACKED US AT ABOUT SIX THIS MORNING. BASTARDS CAUGHT US OFF GUARD." GRIFFON  
SAID. "WHAT TIME IS IT" SIX ASKED. "YOU MUST HAVE BEEN TIRED TO NOT HAVE WOKEN  
THROUGH THIS NOISE" GRIFFON COMMENTED "IT'S EIGHT". SIX JOINED THE FIGHT. CHRIS  
WAS IN THE FRONT WITH KURIK AND HIS MEN HOLDING THE COVENANT BACK. "SIX TAKE  
THE BACK BY THE PELICAN WE CAN'T LET IT GET DAMAGED. JUN WAS BY THE PELICAN AS  
WELL. "GOOD MORE SNIPER SUPPORT" JUN SAID. "PHANTOM INCOMING" SIX YELLED.  
WILSON RAN TOWARDS THE PHANTOM AND FIRED HIS ROCKETS AS THE TROOPS AS THEY WERE  
DROPPED OFF. THE PHANTOM FIRED, THE BLAST LANDED RIGHT IN FRONT OF WILSON. A  
RIFLE BLAST DESTROYED THE PHANTOM'S TURRENT. THREE BRUTES CHARGED AT WILSON  
WITH GRAVITY HAMMERS THREE RIFLE BLASTS AND THEY WERE ALL DEAD. WILSON LOOKED  
TO JUN. "NICE SHOTS" HE SAID. SIX LOOKED AROUND, THEY WE'RE IN A WIDE OPEN AREA  
THEY WOULDN'T LAST LONG. "GET THOSE WARTHOGS OUT HERE!"KURIK ORDERED. SIX ODSTS  
DROVE THE WARTHOGS OUT OF THE PELICAN. "ORDERS SIR" AN ODST ASKED. "MOVE THEM  
TO THE FRONT TO PROVIDE COVER. TWO OF YOU GET ON THE TURRENTS. THE OTHER FOUR  
OF YOU, GUARD THEM AND THE WARTHOGS" KURIK ORDERED.

KURIK, SANDERS, WILSON, THE OTHER MARINES ANDODSTS TOOK COVER BEHIND THE WARTHOGS. CHRIS AND GRIFFON WERE IN THE FRONT, SIX AND JUN WERE IN THE BACK PROVIDING SNIPER SUPPORT. THE POSITION OF EVERY ONE  
WAS WORKING. THE COVENANT WAS QUICKLY DEPLETING AND ONLY A FEW MEN HAD BEEN  
LOST. SUDDENLY, AN ARMADA OF GHOSTS, BANSHEES AND A WRAITH CAME INTO THE FIGHT.  
PLASMA WENT FLYING EVERY WHERE. THE UNSCS MEN WERE NOW BEING KILLED QUICKLY.  
"WILSON, TAKE OUT THAT WRAITH!" KURIK ORDERED. WILSON DASHED TOWARDS THE WRAITH  
BUT WAS HIT WITH A SHOWER OF PLASMA. CHRIS RAN TOWARDS THE WRAITH. "I GOT THIS  
SOLDIER" CHRIS SAID. CHRIS FIRED HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER, THE BLAST HIT A BANSHEE.  
THE BANSHEE CRASHED DOWN ON THE WRAITH, CAUSING A BIG EXPLOSION AND TAKING OUT  
THREE GHOSTS AS WELL. A LOUD GROAN ALERTED KURIK. HE TURNED TO SEE A MARINE  
WITH AN ENRGY SWORD THROUGH HIS CHEST. THE ELITE THREW THE MARINE DOWN AND  
ATTACKED THE OTHERS. SANDERS JUMPED ON THE ELITES BACK AND FIRED THREE SHOTS  
THROUGH THE HEAD. HE JUMPED OFF ITS BACK AS THE ELITE FELL TO THE GROUND. THREE  
MORE CHARGED WILSON FIRED HIS SHOTGUN. THE ELITES FELL TO THE GROUND. THE  
WARTHOGS EXPLODED. THE EXPLOSION KILLED ALMOST ALL OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE  
SOLDIERS. EVEN MORE COVENANT HAD SHOWN UP. "FALL BACK, FALL BACK!" GRIFFON  
ORDERED. GRIFFON AND CHRIS HEADED TOWARDS THE PELICAN. "SIX GO WITH CHRIS I'LL  
HELP JUN" GRIFFON SAID. SIX WENT WITH CHRIS. THEY ENTERED THE PELICAN. "THIS IS  
WHY WE COULDN'T LET THE PELICAN GET HIT" SAID CHRIS AS HE OPENED THE A DOOR ON  
THE FLOOR OF THE PELICAN. "IS THAT" SIX ASKED "A BOMB, YES. WE SET IT UP IN  
THIS PELICAN SO IF WE EVER GOT ATTACKED, WE BLOW THIS BABY UP AND THE ENEMY'S  
BYE-BYE" CHRIS SAID. "THE RADIUS?" SIX ASKED "ABOUT FIFTY FEET" CHRIS REPLIED.  
"GRIFFON ARMING THE BOMB" CHRIS SAID "ROGER THAT, MEN GIVE US FIVE MINUTES"  
GRIFFON SAID. SIX JOINED KURIK AND HIS MEN. "SANDERS BEHIND YOU" SIX WARNED. A  
BRUTE APPEARED BEHIND SANDERS; SANDERS GRABBED THE BRUTE BY THE WRIST AND  
FLIPPED IT OVER HIS BACK. HE FIRED INTO ITS CHEST. SIX BEGAN FIRING AT THE  
COVENANT. TWO ELITES APPEARED FROM BEHIND SIX WHILE HE WAS TAKING OUT A BRUTE.  
SANDERS JUMPED ONTO AN ELITES BACK AND SNAPPED ITS NECK. SIX TURNED IN TIME TO  
KILL THE SECOND ELITE. "GRIFFON BOMB PLANTED TIME TO MOVE OUT WE GOT THREE  
MINUTES!" CHRIS YELLED. JUST THEN KURIK YELLED OUT. "WE'RE BEING OVERUN!" SIX  
TURNED TO SEE THE COVENANT PUCHING BACK THE UNSC TROOPS BACK. THE MARINES  
PULLED BACK AND PILED INTO THE FALCONS. THE ODSTS STAYED BACK. SANDERS, WILSON  
AND KURIK WERE BEHIND THE WARTHOGS BUT THE COVENANT FORCES WERE TO STRONG.  
SANDERS GOT SHOT IN THE WRIST; HE GRABBED HIS HAND IN PAIN. MORE PLASMA FIRED  
AT SANDERS. HE WAS SHOT DOWN. "SANDERS!" WILSON SCREAMED. HE TRIED TO PICK  
SANDERS UP, BUT HE KNEW IT WAS TOO LATE. HE LOOKED UP TO SEE AN ELITE PUSH HIM  
DOWN, WILSON FIRED HIS SHOTGUN THE ELITE FELL DOWN ON HIM BUT HE KICKED HIM TO  
THE SIDE. WILSON GOT BACK UP. "HOLD YOUR POSITION MEN!" KURIK ORDERED TO THE  
ODSTS. CONCUSSION RIFLES WENT FLYING AT WILSON, FIVE BLASTS SURROUNDED HIS  
BODY. A FEW SHOTS FROM A PLASMA PISTOL FINISHED HIM OFF. KURIK LOOKED DOWN AT  
HIS FALLEN SOLDIER. AN ELITE CAM FROM BEHIND AND STABBED KURIK FROM THE TOP OF  
THE SPINAL CORD. THE ELITE TOSSED HIM TO THE SIDE. SIX GOT INTO THE FALCON JUST  
AS IT TOOK OFF. THE TWO FALCONS TOOK OFF. TWO MINUTES LATER SIX WATCHED THE  
EXPLOSION IN THE DISTANCE. "WE WERE ALMOST OFF THIS PLANET, THEY WERE SO CLOSE"  
GRIFFON SAID GLUMLY.


	10. The Final Show Down

"SIX GET UP!" HEARD JUN YELL. SIX GOT UP STILL DAZED. JUST AS HE GOT UP HE LOOKED TO SEE THE SECOND FALCON CRASHING DOWN. SIX JUMPED TO THE SIDE AND JUST BARELY MISSED THE FALCON. HE GRABBED AN ASSAULT RIFLE HE FOUND ON THE FLOOR. HE LOOKED UP, THE BANSHEES WERE GONE, CHRIS HAD TAKEN CARE OF THEM. GRIFFON WAS FIGHTING THE COVENANT ON HIS OWN, LUCKILY CHRIS JOINED THEM. SIX JOINED THEM AS WELL. "BASE IS ONLY A HOUR FROM HERE" GRIFFON SAID TO SIX. "SO WHATS THE PLAN" SIX ASKED. "WE FIGHT THE COVENANT AND FALL BACK AT THE SAME TIME ONCE WE GET TO THE BASE WE'RE SAFE" GRIFFON REPLIED. JUST THEN, THE FLOOD CAME OUT OF NO WHERE. "GRIFFON WE GOT A PROBLEM" CHRIS SAID. THE SPARTAN INFECTED WERE APROACHING AS WELL. A FEW ZEALOTS ATTACKED THEM BUT THEY WERE NO MATCH FOR THE SPARTANS. A GRENADE WENT FLYING AT ONE OF THEM THE BLAST SENT THE SPARTAN BACKWARDS. THE SPARTANS TURNED TO SEE CHRIS STANDING IN FRONT OF THEM. CHRIS PUMPED HIS SHOTGUN. THE SPARTANS CHARGED, CHRIS KNOCKED ONE TO THE SIDE, AND FIRED AT THE SECOND. THE BLAST DID DAMAGE BUT NOT ENOUGH. THE SECOND SPARTAN GOT BACK ON HIS FEET TO SEE GRIFFON. GRIFFON SWUNG AT THE SPARTAN WITH HIS KNIFE, THE SPARTAN DODGED AND FIRED HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER GRIFFON SHIELDS BURST ON THE IMPACT OF THE SHELL, THE BLAST MADE GRIFFON TUMBLE DOWN. THE SPARTAN TACKLED ONTO GRIFFON, GRIFFON THREW HIM OFF. GRIFFON GOT BACK ON HIS FEET AND BEGAN TO FIRE AT THE SPARTAN AS HE RECOVERED. A SHOT THROUGH THE HELMET FINISHED THE SPARTAN OFF. GRIFFON TURNED TO SEE CHRIS HOLDING THE SPARTAN A FOOT OFF THE GROUND, KNIFE DUG DEEP IN HIS CHEST. CHRIS PULLED THE KNIFE OUT AND LET THE SPARTAN DROP, CHRIS CLEANED HIS KNIFE. THE FLOOD AND COVENANT WERE BATTLING EACHOTHER BUT STILL FOCUSED ON THE SPARTANS. JUN AND SIX WERE HANDLING MOST OF THEM. GRIFFON AND CHRIS GOT BACK INTO THE FIGHT. MORE FLOOD APPEARED, AND MORE. SUDDENLY, THE COVENANT COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE SPARTANS AND ONLY FOCUSED ON THE FLOOD.

"NOW'S ARE CHANCE MOVE OUT!" GRIFFON SAID. SIX AND THE OTHERS TOOK OFF. SOON THEY WERE CLOSE TO THE BASE. SIX AND JUN RAN TO THE BASE AND CHECKED INSIDE. "GRIFFON, THEY AREN'T ANY LONG SWORDS HERE" SIX SAID. THERE WAS SILENCE AND THEN GRIFFON RESPONDED "WE'LL MEN, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR" HE SAID ALL HOPE GONE FROM HIS VOICE. "BUT THERE ARE CRYO CHAMBERS" JUN SAID. "CRYO CHAMBERS," CHRIS SAID "THOSE WON'T BE ANY HELP NO ONE IS ON REACH NO ONE WOULD FIND US" CHRIS EXPLAINED. "A.I, COULD YOU SEND A DISTRESS SIGNAL" GRIFFON ASKED. "I'M AFRAID NOT COMMANDER. I KNEW THERE WERE NO VEHICLES FOR ESCAPE HERE. YOU SEEM TO BE UNFORTUNATE, BEFORE YOUR SPARTAN FOUND ME I WAS CORRUPTED BY THE COVENANT, AND YOU FELL RIGHT INTO THEIR TRAP. THE BIGGEST ARMY OF COVENANT IS HEADED YOUR WAY." THE A.I SAID. SIX AND JUN RAN BACK TO CHRIS AND GRIFFON TO SEE GRIFFON STOMP DOWN ON THE A.I CHIP. IN THE DISTANCE THEY COULD ALL SEE TWO ARMIES WORTH OF COVENANT HEADING THEIR WAY. "ORDERS SIR" CHRIS ASKED. "TAKE AS MANY AS YOU CAN" GRIFFON SAID. THIS WAS IT, SIX THOUGHT, THEY ALL KNEW THEY WOULD NEVER MAKE IT OFF REACH. MIGHT AS WELL GO OUT WITH A BANG, SIX THOUGHT. THE COVENANT WAS STILL HEADING TOWARD THEM.

"I GRABBED WHAT AMMUNITION WAS IN THE BASE" SIX SAID. HE HANDED THEM ALL AMMUNITION. "I'LL TAKE AS MANY AS I CAN WHILE I APPROACH" JUN SAID. JUN BEGAN FIRING AT THE COVENANT WHILE THE OTHERS PREPARED FOR THE FIGHT. THE COVENANT GOT CLOSER, SIX HANDED JUN A DMR. "IN CASE YOU GET INTO CLOSE COMBAT" SIX SAID. THE COVENANT ARMY STOPPED. BOTH SIDES STARED AT THE OTHER. THEN SUDDENLY BRUTES AND ELITES FROM THE FIRST ROW ATTACKED. "KEEP YOUR POSITION, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND SPLIT US UP" GRIFFON SAID. THE ELITES AND BRUTES SWUNG THEIR SWORDS AND HAMMERS. SIX AND THE OTHERS MANAGED TO EVADE THEIR ATTACKS. AN ELITE SWUNG AT GRIFFON, HE DUCKED AND FIRED THREE SHOTS UP THE ELITES JAW. A BRUTE APPEARED FROM BEHIND HIM, A SHOT THROUGH THE MOUTH STOPPED IT IN ITS TRACKS. TWO BRUTES SWUNG THEIR HAMMERS AT CHRIS HE ROLLED TO THE SIDE AND THE BRUTES HAD KILLED EACH OTHER. THE FIRST WAVE SURROUNDED THEM IN A CIRCLE. THERE WERE STILL ABOUT A HUNDRED TROOPS; THEY ALL CHARGED. SIX AND THE OTHERS DODGED THEIR ATTACKS AND GUN THEM DOWN. SOON, ONLY THIRTY TROOPS REMAINED. A FIELD MARSHALL ROARED AND THE REST OF THE TROOPS CHARGED. CHRIS PULLED OUT HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER AND TOOK COVENANT TROOPS OUT IN BIG GROUPS. JUN STAYED BACK AND FIRED AT THE ENEMIES IN THEIR BLIND SPOTS. THEY FOUGHT AND FOUGHT. THOUGH IT SEEMED THEY'RE WERE STILL MANY TROOPS LEFT. "WE'RE GETTING LOW ON AMMO" SIX SAID. "WE CAN'T RUN AWAY, IF WE TRIED WE WOULD ALL DIE." GRIFFON RESPONDED. "YOU ALL GO" JUN SAID. "YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM ALL, JUN" SIX SAID. "I GOT YOUR BACKS, I JUST NEED TO GET TO HIGH GROUND; THEN YOU ALL MAKE A RUN FOR IT" JUN SAID IGNORING SIX'S COMMENT. JUN FOUND A LARGE ROCK HE WAS ABLE TO STAND ON. THE OTHERS BEGAN TO RUN. IMMEDIATLEY PLASMA SHOT AT THEM. JUN BEGAN FIRING. HE THREW HIS GRENADES INTO THE CROWD. MANY BODIES WENT FLYING. THE COVENANT WERE TO BUSY WITH THE OTHERS TO FIRE AT JUN. CHRIS FIRED HIS GRENADE LAUNCHER INTO THEIR RANKS. MORE BODIES DROPPED. "SAVE YOUR AMMO" SIX SAID. THEY THREW THE REST OF THEIR GRENADES BACK AT THE COVENANT TO KILL WHAT THEY COULD. JUN WAS DOING WELL. THE COVENANT WEREN'T CATCHING UP WITH THEM. MANY COVENANT WERE STILL ALIVE BUT ONCE THEY GET TO THE BASE, THEY COULD MANAGE. THEN SIX HEARD AN ENERGY SWORD SLASH AGAINST ARMOR, THEN ANOTHER, THEN ANOTHER. JUN GROANED. THE SOUND A TWO MORE SWORDS, THEN SILENCE. THEY REACHED THE BASE, SIX WENT IN AND GRABBED THE REST OF THE AMMO JUST AS THE COVENANT BEGAN TO ATTACK AGAIN. AN ELITE SPOKE UP. "PUNY SPARTANS, YOU WILL NOT LAST LONG. ATTACK!" THE ELITE SAID. THE COVENANT CHARGED. THE GRUNTS AND JACKALS WERE DYING THE MOST. ONCE THE COVENANT SAW THEY WERE DOING NO GOOD, THE ELITES AND BRUTES STEPPED IN. CHRIS TOOK OUT GROUPS WITH HIS GRENADE LAUNHER. SIX WAS MAINLY IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT. GRIFFON USED HIS DMR WHICH WASN'T THAT EFFECTIVE ANYMORE, SO HE SWITCHED TO CLOSE COMBAT. A GENERAL CHARGED AT GRIFFON, SIX SHOVED A GRENADE DOWN ITS THROAT AND ENDED THAT. GRIFFON WAS BEING BACKED UP TOWARDS A CLIFF. SIX RAN TO HELP HIM OUT. HE PUSHED THE COVENANT BACK GIVING GRIFFON MORE ROOM TO FIGHT BACK. HE WAS STILL NEAR THE CLIFF THOUGH. A ZEALOT CHARGED, GRIFFON KICKED IT TO THE GROUND. WHILE THE ZEALOT GOT UP GRIFFON JUMPED ON ITS BACK, THE ZEALOT STRUGGLED TO GET HIM OFF.

A ZEALOT APPROACHED FROM BEHIND HIM. CHRIS SAW GRIFFON WAS IN DANGER, HE SHOT HIS GRENANDE LAUNCHER, BUT IT WAS EMPTY. HE RAN TOWARDS THE ELITE AND PULLED OUT HIS KNIFE. GRIFFON FINNALY MANNAGED TO PIN THE ELITE DOWN AND DUG HIS KNIFE INTO ITS NECK. CHRIS SAW ANOTHER ELITE WITH A FUELROD TAKE AIM AT GRIFFON. CHRIS RAN TOWARDS THE FIRST ELITE. IT TURNED IN TIME TO STAB CHRIS IN THE STOMACH. CHRIS WRAPPED HIS ARM AROUND THE ELITE STABBED IT IN THE SIDE AND GROANED. GRIFFON TURNED AROUND TO SEE. CHRIS JUMP OFF THE CLIFF WITH THE ELITE, AND DRAG THE ONE WITH THE FUEL ROD, DOWN AS WELL. "GET TO THE BASE" WAS THE LAST THING HE SAID. GRIFFON HEARD THE SLASH OF A SWORD, CHRIS GRUNT AND THE SOUND OF A SIDE ARM FIRING. GRIFFON YELLED TO SIX "WE GOTTA GET TO THE BASE." SIX BEGAN TO RUN WITH GRIFFON THE COVENANT RIGHT BEHIND THEM. SIX OUTRAN GRIFFON. SIX OPENED THE DOOR, IT WAS STILL OPENING AS HE WAITED FOR GRIFFON. GRIFFON WAS RIGHT BEHIND SIX. PLASMA FIRED THROUGH GRIFFON'S SIDE, HE STUBLED. HE TOOK MORE PLAMA DAMAGE IN THE ARMS AND LEGS, BUT HE STILL RAN TOWARDS THE DOOR. FINALLY GRIFFON FELL TO HIS KNEES. HE SHOT AT THE CONTROL PAD, CLOSING THE DOOR. SIX GRABBED HIS HAND AND TRIED TO DRAG HIM IN. THE DOOR WAS CLOSE TO CLOSING, GRIFFON LET GO. "NO" SIX YELLED. THE DOOR SHUT AND SIX WAS ALL ALONE. HE WALKED INTO THE CRYO CHAMBER ROOM. HE ACTIVATED ONE. "THIS IS NOBLE SIX, OF NOBLE TEAM. I AM HERE ON REACH, SENDING MY LOCATION IN THIS MESSAGE. WHO EVER HEARS THIS, IF ANY ONE DOES, I'LL BE HERE WAITING." HE SENT THE MESSAGE TO UNSC SATALITES. HE STEPPED INTO THE CRYO CHAMBER, AND CLOSED HIS EYES AS THE DOOR CLOSED DOWN. AND HE WENT INTO A DEEP, DARK, LONG SLEEP.


	11. Epilouge

THE BASE WAS INDESTRUCTIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE, SO THE COVENANT COULD NOT GET TO SIX. THE COVENANT AND THE FLOODS BATTLE CONTINUED. THE FLOOD WAS WIPED OUT ON REACH AFTER AN ARMADA OF COVENANT CRUISERS GLASSED THE PLANET. SIX STILL SLEEPS, WAITING TO BE FOUND…

THE END


End file.
